NHTSA Complaint #10228201 — 2000 TOYOTA CELICA

ON MAY 3RD, 2008 I HAD AN INCIDENT WITH MY 2000 CELICA GTS. I WAS USING CRUISE CONTROL AT 65MPH. I TAPPED MY BRAKES TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL AS I EXITED ONE HIGHWAY ONTO ANOTHER. WHEN I CLICKED RESUME ON MY CRUISE CONTROL MY CAR ACCELERATED PAST 65MPH AND CONTINUED CLIMBING. I TAPPED MY BRAKES BUT MY CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE PAST 85MPH. I PUSHED MY CLUTCH PETAL IN AND THE ENGINE REV'D NEAR REDLINE. I RELEASED THE CLUTCH AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. TOYOTA TOLD ME THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE HAD RUST AND STUCK OPEN WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL REQUESTED ACCELERATION. IN TURN MY CLUTCH/TRANSMISSION WERE BLOWN. I BELIEVE THIS FAILURE MODE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, THE CAR CONTINUOUSLY ACCELERATING AND THE ONLY WAY TO REMEDY IS TO TURN THE CAR OFF AT HIGH SPEED ON A HIGHWAY. *TR